René-Jacques

1908 - 2003

René-Jacques was a French photographer, born in Cambodia in 1908, who became one of the founding members of the Groupe des XV collective in Paris, alongside Robert Doisneau, Marcel Bovis, et al. His work was varied, taking in everything from street photography and industry to landscapes, portraits and sport. Considered a technical master, his work was published in Fortune and Harper's Bazaar, and he collaborated with French brands including Renault. 

René-Jacques took a two-decade break from photography, but rediscovered the medium in the early '90s after a retrospective of his work was exhibited at Palais de Tokyo in Paris. Before his death in 2003, he was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour by the French state.